What Is the Full Form of CDS in Army?

The Full Form of ‘CDS’ in Army is ‘Combined Defence Services’.

Full Form of CDS

The Combined Defence Services, commonly known as CDS, is a tri-service organization of the Indian Armed Forces. It was created in 1950 by the Government of India to provide necessary administrative and logistical support to the three services – the Army, Navy and Air Force. The CDS is headed by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), who is responsible for coordinating the activities and operations of all three services.

The primary purpose of CDS is to provide integrated and coordinated command, control, coordination and supervision over the activities of all three services. It also acts as an important link between the government and these services by providing expert advice on defence related matters and policy formulation.

The CDS has two main components – the Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (IHQMOD) and the Joint Services Headquarters (JSHQ). The IHQMOD provides strategic direction to all three services while JSHQ coordinates between them in order to ensure seamless integration. Both organisations are responsible for providing policy guidance to their respective service headquarters on various aspects related to personnel management, administration, logistics, operations and training.

To ensure smooth functioning within CDS, various committees are formed from time-to-time which include representatives from each service in order to discuss important issues related to defence operations or policies. Some of these committees are:
* Chiefs Committee – This committee consists of chiefs from each service and is responsible for advising the government on matters related to national security or strategic planning.
* Special Group – This group advises on joint operational planning matters such as force structure development or intelligence requirements.
* Finance Committee – This committee deals with financial affairs related to defence expenditure such as budgeting or audit process.
* Central Quality Assurance Group – This group supports quality assurance activities throughout all three services by ensuring that equipment meets specified standards before being issued into operational use.

In addition to its role in coordinating between the three services, CDS also plays an important role in promoting inter-service cooperation among them through various initiatives such as joint exercises or operations wherein personnel from different branches can work together towards a common goal. This helps foster better understanding among officers belonging to different branches which ultimately results in improved operational effectiveness during times of conflict or warlike situations.

Thus it can be seen that CDS plays a major role in integrating India’s armed forces into one cohesive unit that works towards achieving common objectives set out by the government for national defence purposes. It goes without saying that effective coordination between all three services is essential if India wants its armed forces to remain battle ready at all times so as to protect its interests both inside and outside its borders from any external threat or aggression.

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